Swelling Characteristics of Wadi Al Dawasir Mudrocks and the Consequential Impact on Light Structures: Fid-Bau Portal

Swelling Characteristics of Wadi Al Dawasir Mudrocks and the Consequential Impact on Light Structures

Farid, Ahmed T. M.

Expansive soils in Saudi Arabia have received wide attention in recent decades, following the rapid urbanization of rural and agricultural parts of the country. Wadi Al Dawasir region located at the south part of Riyadh where its soil formation consists of mudrock formations. The behavior of mudrock is tending to be expansive in some parts while the other is not. According to that, this region inflicted serious damages to some light structures, roads and boundary walls. This research is aimed to study the engineering characteristics of the different mudrocks at this region including the basic geotechnical parameters as well as swelling behavior under oedometric loading conditions. Mudrock characteristics are defined with its swelling potential and swelling index. Prediction of heave values for light structures constructing on this types of swelling formations are calculated to find the better solution to reduce the risk of potential swelling distress for future constructions at this site. Recommendations are given to geotechnical engineers for preliminary investigations on this type of mudrock formations to predict its characteristics against swelling prior to perform more detailed of soil investigations of their projects.